Australia Backs Climate “Loss and Damage” Compensation at COP27

Essay by Eric Worrall

Last September, the Australian government told voters Australia’s financial situation is too precarious to continue a six month gasoline tax holiday. Those same politicians now want to give our tax money away to other countries.

Australia backs discussion on climate change compensation as it bids to co-host UN climate summit

By political reporter Henry Belot

Australian officials at a climate change conference in Egypt have spoken in favour of allowing discussion about wealthy nations paying compensation to developing nations for “loss and damage” caused by global warming.

Key points:

  • Australia wants to co-host the 2026 UN climate conference with Pacific nations
  • Federal minister Pat Conroy says a co-hosted conference would send a powerful message
  • Climate Analytics chief executive Dr Bill Hare warned that Australia must improve its climate record to win support

The move comes as Australia openly lobbies nations to support its bid to co-host the 2026 UN climate conference with Pacific nations.

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, will lead Australia’s delegation during the first week of talks and says a co-hosted conference would send a powerful message.

“I think people are broadly supportive but obviously other countries in our regional bloc may have interest in it so there will be the normal sort of diplomatic rumble and tumble about it,” Mr Conroy told the ABC.

“I think the symbolism of Australia, which until the election was a laggard on climate change, hosting the event with the Pacific which is on the frontline would be very powerful.”

Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-07/climate-summit-cop27-australia-bid-united-nations/101622320

I think Australians would accept the pump price pain, if the gasoline tax money was used to help Australia. For example, Australia desperately needs upgrades to our reservoirs and flood control measures, to avoid a repeat of this year’s horrible series of floods.

I’m not sure the Australian public will feel the same about simply giving that tax money away to other countries.

Australia’s climate grandstanding could also cause diplomatic problems for the USA, Canada and Britain, if other Western countries resist Australia’s call to join the taxpayer money giveaway.

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November 7, 2022 5:54 am

Unidentified UK ‘negotiators’ are also keen to keep the ‘reparations’ ball in the air so Oz isn’t alone in this lunacy.

Paul Hurley (aka PaulH)
Reply to  DaveS
November 7, 2022 6:56 am
michael hart
November 7, 2022 12:59 pm

“The move comes as Australia openly lobbies nations to support its bid to co-host the 2026 UN climate conference with Pacific nations.”

Reading between the lines, they are just negotiating about where to hold the next big party.

1) It makes them look good politically, on a local level, when a big international jamboree come to town.

2) Economically it helps the local hotels and entertainment industry. Again, not bad for local politicians.

3) The international contingent may also bring along a lot of those young, dewy-eyed female climate activists who are so thrilled at this opportunity to travel the world and do almost anything to save the planet.

November 7, 2022 1:58 pm

From 2002 to 2022 the tide gauge at Vanuatu shows a fall of 45 mm over the twenty years. So the danger of immersion is going away. Compensation can be safely avoided.,

shoehorn
November 7, 2022 4:01 pm

The Australian Labor Party are all for foreigners, foreign countries, bludgers (moochers) and union shonks who rip off workers. Most of the current mob were in the govt that got voted out in 2013. When will voters learn?

Dennis
Reply to  shoehorn
November 8, 2022 12:52 am

They learn slowly and then vote against but soon forget and vote for again.